Changes in metabolism that causes weight gain as we age In my last blog (why calorie restricted diets make you fat), I explained about the power of the hormone insulin to shunt surplus energy (glucose from food) into fat cells. If we eat high sugar foods with a high glycemic index (GI) it causes a …
If you have read our previous blogs on menopause and weight gain you will have learnt: Women’s fat cells are different to men’s (larger, more active and resistant to dieting). Even before perimenopause they start to expand by increasing in size, in number (over 30 billion of them) and in their ability to store fat. …
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This is the time when menstruation is well and truly over, the ovaries have stopped producing high levels of sex hormones and for many ladies, perimenopause symptoms subside.
Estrogen has protective qualities and the diminished levels mean organs such as your brain, heart and bones become more vulnerable. It’s also a key lubricant so your lips may become drier, your joints less supple and your vagina might be drier. In addition, your thyroid, digestion, insulin, cortisol and weight may alter.
At this juncture, a woman might experience an increase in the signs of reduced estrogen but she should have a decrease of perimenopause symptoms. That said, some women will experience symptoms like hot flushes for years or even the rest of their lives.
Peri = ‘near’
Most females begin to experience the symptoms of perimenopause in their mid-forties. Your progesterone levels decline from your mid-30s but it’s generally from around 40 that the rest of your sex hormones begin to follow suit.
Perimenopause is a different experience for every woman and some women may barely notice it. The first indicators are usually changes to the monthly cycle. This means that for some ladies, this can be accompanied by things like sore breasts, mood swings, weight gain around the belly, and fatigue as time goes on.
For those with symptoms it can be a challenging time physically, mentally and emotionally.
Importantly, perimenopause lasts – on average – four to 10 years. The transition is usually a gradual process and many women enter perimenopause without realising.
